D went over to Houston for the weekend, to plunder the annual antique fair with her little sister; before she left on Thursday, I searched Spec's inventory online, looking for goodies for her to bring back. Using Spec's search window, I looked in the Italian inventory for Nebbiolo, then down the list for Langhe and something affordable - and up popped this stranger. Asked her to pick up half a case at the advertised price of $15.05 per, which she did.

Couldn't find much online about it, just that production was 500 cases. A comment in CT said it was jammy and tannic as all get-out; OK, that gave me a clue that it might, just might, turn into something decent with time.

D decided to prepare cheese & chicken ravioli in a homemade tomato sauce tonight, so decided to give this thing a try. Decanted for four hours, sampling sips along the way.... yup, jammy and tannic, like sucking raspberry jam through a wooden straw.... but evolving. Finally, when supper was ready, so was the wine, and voila! Worth the wait: jam and wood had both calmed down to make a very nice Nebbiolo - not a Barolo, but nice just the same. Worth snagging a few more. 14% al/vol.

Had another last night with Italian Pot Roast, a recipe from the Oct '10 issue of Southern Living magazine. It's a slow cooker, so got to smell it for eight hours before supper. Decanted the Guido for three hours and it was just right. Doing the same tonight with leftovers - the juice is already in the jug.

Sister-in-law has snagged a box for us and stashed it in her cellar to await D's next visit.